Soap

Madison ate soap today. Well, she really just licked a small peice that was sitting on the side of the tub.

It's not the most gross thing she's put in her mouth... no, that would be the dead lady bug she found in a windowseal.

How am I ever going to keep up with this child?


-- Post via iPhone.

Times of Plenty,
Times of Want

A Poem by Ruth Bell Graham

Plenty

is always provision for a need:

another’s

or some future of our own—

unrealized, perhaps;

unseen.

The seven years of plenty

Joseph stored

against the years of famine

that would come.

So

when a winter

promises to be

severe,

nature generously provides

for little friends;

and sensing

in her lavish spread

a hint of coming want,the ants

and squirrels are busy

harvesting;

and so am I.

I have been

so generously provided for

in happiness,

good memories,

family,

and true friends;

and more than all—

His presence and His Word;

perhaps it is a “sign,”

as mountain people say,

that winter is to be

a tough one.

If that is so,

let it be;

my larders are well stocked.

Alabama Crimson Tide 53, North Texas Mean Green 7

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Get your own

Double Oat Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup golden raisins and/or milk chocolate pieces
3 cups round toasted oat cereal (such as Cherrios)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl. Beat in water, egg, and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour until combined. Beat in as much of the rolled oats as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining rolled oats. Stir in raisins and oat cereal.
2. Drop dough by scant 1/4 cupfuls about 3 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store cookies in tightly covered container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Makes 24 (2-cookie) servings.

A day in the life...

Today was a doozy-- one that shall be recorded as a day of firsts-- both good and bad.

The morning started rough when Madison woke at 5am and instead of cuddling and falling back to sleep, she stayed wide awake until exhaustion set in around 7:30am.

After a nap and a Target run (I'm taking a break from WalMart given my experience yesterday), I set in to try my hand a making strawberry jam. (For those who don't know, which was me until this morning, jam has smaller chunks of fruit than preserves.) Success! I made a dozen jars, all tasted marvelous and are jelling just like the instructions said. The only issue is getting Rob to share... I took some by the pharmacy this afternoon at which time he informed me that we would not be giving any as Christmas gifts, nor are we taking any to tailgate this weekend. Sorry Hackberry HightTiders.

Ok, so back to the rest of the day. Rob's parents came by around lunch, and in Madison's excitement to see them, she forgot that 9 months olds really don't have the balance yet to stand and clap at the same time. As this cruel reality set in, she proceeded to fall backwards pulling a large toy over on top of her. The result was a cut and bump in the corner of her left eye-- her first real booboo. She, of course was back up playing in no time, but I'm afraid she'll wake up in the morning with a nice shiner.

So just when all is calm, I have dinner in the oven, the kitchen cleaned from the strawberry explosion, and I'm sitting in the floor trying to read the day's mail, I hear a knock at the back door.

To my surprise, when I go to answer, I am met by a female police officer.
OFFICER: "Is everything ok here?"
ME: "Um, yes, Ma'am"
OFFICER: "Well, we just got a 911 hang-up call from this address"
ME: (still stunned that there is an officer at my door I pause for a long while)
OFFICER:"Do you have a small child that might have made the call?"
ME: (realizing I have NO idea WHERE the phone IS) "yes, ma'am. I have a 9-month-old and I bet she has been playing with the phone."
OFFICER: "well ok, have a good day"

I immediately close the door and start a frantic search for the phone...which I find, still on, under the blue chair.

It's now 9pm and I'm happy to say that the last three hours have been uneventful. After getting her belly full of string cheese, mandarin oranges and meat sticks, Madison took her bath and fell sound asleep. Maybe tomorrow she'll sleep until 6am!!

Tues night Bible study

My ladies Bible study at NRC has begun this study, One in a Million by Pricilla Shirer (@Priscillashirer). We're only in week two, but I'm really enjoying the study. It basically explores the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. Pricilla encourages women to fully engage in the abundant life God has waiting for those who will allow Him to take the lead in daily living.

"One in a Million is an opportunity for you to experience your deliverance from strongholds, to conquer your wilderness living, and to claim your God-given inheritance. " -Going Beyond Ministries

Madison and Rob at Tailgate

 

Hoagie Dip- A GREAT recipe for tailgate!

Ingredients
1 medium onion
2 pickled pepperoncini peppers
1/2 head iceberg lettuce
1 large tomato, halved and seeded
1/4 pound deli-sliced genoa salami
1/4 pound deli-sliced ham
1/4 pound deli-sliced prosciutto
1/4 pound deli-sliced roast turkey
1/4 pound deli-sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 10-to-12-inch round loaf Italian bread
8 hoagie rolls, cut into pieces, for dipping

Directions
Chop the onion, pepperoncini, lettuce and tomato into bite-size pieces. Dice the meats and cheese.

Combine the chopped vegetables, meats and cheese in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes and stir until everything is all mixed up and tasty. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carve out the center of the bread loaf to make a bowl (don't cut through the bottom) and cut the scraps into bite-size pieces. Serve the hoagie dip in the bread bowl, with the extra bread and hoagie rolls to scoop it up. Yummers!

Rob and Jackson travel with the Tide!

What a difference a year makes!

Last year in Atlanta for the Clemson game.

This year watching the Va Tech game.

Roll...

Tide!!!